If you take painstaking care to avoid a diet of genetically modified foods, you’re among a growing number of people choosing organic, unprocessed, and even homegrown foods, instead of the 80 percent of processed foods in this country that contain GM ingredients. The long-term effects of genetic modification on our health are barely understood, but what we do know is not pretty: Infertility, birth defects, cancer, neurological disorders and major organ damage are just some of the more serious risks. But we’re not just at risk from the foods we eat. GMOs are in a number of everyday items you may be exposed to on a regular basis. How often do you come in contact with these items?

Personal care products: Watch out for soy protein and alcohol in personal care items, including lotions, face creams, soaps and shampoos. Instead of silky soft skin or thick, lustrous hair, you may end up with a head full of toxic GMO soy and corn.

Cotton: Chances are something you’re wearing now is cotton. Your bed sheets and towels probably are too, as are the swabs and cotton balls in your bathroom. And if they’re not organic, they are most likely genetically modified. Ninety-three percent of cotton planted in the U.S. in 2010 was genetically modified. Think what you wear doesn’t matter? We absorb more than 60 percent of what our skin comes in contact with.

Soy Ink: The choice for many natural/eco brands to dye clothing, use for books, product packaging, and even print magazines and newspapers, soy ink is most often made from GM soybeans. Ink is highly absorbable through the skin, so make sure to wash your hands after reading the Sunday paper.

Hand Sanitizer: There are lots of reasons to avoid using conventional hand sanitizers, but one you may not have thought of is the exposure to GM corn used in the alcohol. Eighty-six percent of U.S. grown corn in 2010 was genetically modified.

Gasoline: A new variety of corn was approved earlier this year for use in ethanol production for gasoline. Whether your skin comes in direct contact with it at the pump, or you’re just sucking in gulps of it at the gas station for a fill up or while in traffic, chances are, it’s genetically modified.

]]>Lima, Peru: 'We're A GMO-Free Zone!'http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/lima-peru-were-a-gmo-free-zone/
Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:00:33 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=9474Lima, the capital of Peru has declared itself a “GMO-free zone” through a municipal ordinance issued on June 16th. The announcement comes in response to a controversial government declaration that has the potential to blanket the country with deregulated genetically modified organisms. Mayor Susana Villaran said that the city of Lima, which is home to […]

Lima, the capital of Peru has declared itself a “GMO-free zone” through a municipal ordinance issued on June 16th. The announcement comes in response to a controversial government declaration that has the potential to blanket the country with deregulated genetically modified organisms.

Mayor Susana Villaran said that the city of Lima, which is home to more than 8 million people, will be a “territory free of transgenic and genetically modified organisms.”

Joining other cities across the country, Lima is eager to protect their population and environment from the damaging effects of GMOs since the April 15th decree that Peru’s Minister of Agriculture claimed would regulate entry procedures for biotech crops. Critics of the ruling and anti-GMO advocacy groups fear the potential for widely deregulated planting of GMO seeds, jeopardizing Peru’s organic crops. The South American country is one of the world’s largest exporters of organic food, which includes coffee and cocoa, estimated at $3 billion a year in revenues.

The proposed moratorium, which would ban GMO foods for ten years unless used for research purposes, has to receive final approval from President Alan Garcia in order to go into effect.

If approved, Lima would join the growing number of cities and countries around the world taking a stand against biotech giants, namely the makers of Roundup Ready seeds, Monsanto.

Genetically modified foods are still largely deregulated in the U.S., a move considered by critics to be akin to the “largest human science experiment in history,” with a number of studies linking GMOs to health risks as severe as birth defects, organ damage and cancer.

]]>Farmers File Class Action Lawsuit Against Monsantohttp://www.organicauthority.com/blog/organic/farmers-file-class-action-lawsuit-against-monsanto/
Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:00:47 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/blog/?p=9055Monsanto, the biotech giant at the forefront of the ever-expanding genetic modification of foods largely through their glyphosate pesticide resistant Roundup Ready seeds, is now facing a lawsuit filed by a group of 60 farmers and agriculture businesses. This preemptive suit led by a team at the not-for-profit law center, The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), […]

Monsanto, the biotech giant at the forefront of the ever-expanding genetic modification of foods largely through their glyphosate pesticide resistant Roundup Ready seeds, is now facing a lawsuit filed by a group of 60 farmers and agriculture businesses.

This preemptive suit led by a team at the not-for-profit law center, The Public Patent Foundation (PUBPAT), is an attempt to protect farmers, who in the past have been sued by Monsanto for patent infringement when genetically modified crop drift seeds contaminated their non-GM farms.

Dan Ravicher, Executive Director of the PUBPAT and Lecturer of Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York told the GMO Journal, “It seems quite perverse that an organic farmer contaminated by transgenic seed could be accused of patent infringement, but Monsanto has made such accusations before and is notorious for having sued hundreds of farmers for patent infringement, so we had to act to protect the interests of our clients.”

With the recent addition of fully deregulated GM alfalfa and sugar beets to Monsanto’s Roundup Ready lineup, which includes their domineering corn and soy patents, farmers are at an even greater risk of any number of patented GM seeds making their way onto their land and causing an inevitable backlash from Monsanto.

Monsanto has denied the validity of the lawsuit, and in a press release statement called the allegations “false, misleading and deceptive.”

Controversy over Monsanto’s GM seeds is not just centered on farmers’ rights. A recent report looked at 19 studies that suggest serious health risks exist for anyone eating a diet high in GM foods. The California Department of Food and Agriculture suggests that at least 70 percent of processed foods in U.S. supermarkets now contain genetically modified ingredients.

]]>Organic Authority’s 10 Healthy Food Trend Predictions for 2011http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/organic-authoritys-2011-food-trend-predictions.html
Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:05:53 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s1-foodie-buzz/c4-foodie-buzz/organic-authoritys-2011-food-trend-predictions/Our relationships with food are always changing, and one thing is for sure, organic and healthy food choices are becoming more popular every day. The new year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting times for nutritious and tasty foods. Take a look at our organic food trend predictions for 2011. Photo: […]

]]>Our relationships with food are always changing, and one thing is for sure, organic and healthy food choices are becoming more popular every day. The new year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting times for nutritious and tasty foods. Take a look at our organic food trend predictions for 2011.

Superlocal: The number of farmers markets, community supported agriculture programs, rooftop gardens and local beekeeping operations have become a full-on food movement, and don’t show any signs of slowing down. Indoor gardens, vertical gardens and traditional backyard gardens are also cropping up more and more, and we think you’ll see a super-localized focus explored in restaurants, grocery stores and kitchens across the country. What’s happening in your immediate neighborhood that’s both nutritious and delicious? Probably a whole lot more than you think.

Social Eating: Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have inspired us to connect in new and exciting ways, including shutting down the computer and taking our connections offline and onplate. With the trend towards superlocal foods on the rise, community eating is also going to be a huge trend in 2011. We don’t just mean more dinners with family and friends, but community supported kitchens, potlucks and those long, savored meals a la the French Paradigm, where people enjoy spending time with each other, and lots of great food stretching for hours.

Organic Fruit: We’ve documented some startling news in the fruit world in 2010 here on Organic Authority. From the possibility of GM apples and oranges, to toxic pesticides now approved for use on California strawberries, be on the lookout for organic fruits at your local markets and restaurants. Organic fruits can’t be genetically modified or contain any pesticides and they taste better than most conventional options, too.

Home Canning and Preserving: With the move toward growing locally and wild foraging for food, you may find you actually have a lot more yummy goodness available than imagined. Who would let these great juicy gifts go to waste? Exactly. Home preserving, pickling and canning is easy, inexpensive, tasty and healthy. We predict it will be a huge trend in 2011 and onward through the decade.

Medicinal Foods: Threats from food poisoning to flu strains can cause fears and concerns over our food safety, even with the passing of the new Food Safety Bill. Immune boosting foods such as super mushrooms like reishi, shitake and maitake; and superherbs and vitamin and mineral-rich superfoods like chocolate, which improve energy, sex drive, immune function and mood will tickle taste buds in 2011.

Vegan:Bill Clinton, Mike Tyson and even Disney World have been embracing the diet that omits animal products. With crowded and disease-filled factory farms and food poisoning incidents on the rise, there are more reasons than ever to eat a vegan diet than just the delicious and healthy array of legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Foraging: Research has shown that just 5 minutes in nature can boost mood and have a relaxing effect. Wild foods you may find on a calming nature hike like berries, mushrooms, ramps, herbs, greens, avocadoes, and all sorts of fruits (especially in Hawaii!), can be more nutritious for you than foods grown on farms. Wild soil is often healthier than farmed soil, adding vital nutrients. Oh yeah, and wild foods won’t cost you a thing!

Sugar is Sweet: It’s perhaps no coincidence that high fructose corn syrup has been commonly shortened to a four-letter word. The Corn Refiners Industry responsible for marketing HFCS has tried to shake its bad rap this year by changing the name to ‘corn sugar.’ But who are they fooling? Responding to demand, sodas have been replacing HFCS with real sugar and we think that’s just the tip of the iceberg, er, sugarcube. Still, practice moderation with sweets, natural or otherwise.

Photo: Jill Ettinger

Food Apps: Do you find it a little annoying that your cell phone is probably smarter than you? The plus side is that as we get used to pocket-sized Einsteins ruling our lives, there really is a lot to take advantage of. Have yourself at least one food app from restaurant finders and reviews to recipes, ingredient explanations (what is maltodextrin, really?), recipe suggestions (great when you’ve got more wild berries than you know what to do with) and supermarket special deals available only through smart phones.

Americana Revisited: Comfort foods are more than just reminders of home. They can actually be some of our healthiest options when we go with the made-from-scratch — even if it’s sweets like cookies and pies and fresh-squeezed lemonade — which we think you’ll be seeing a lot of in 2011. Simple dishes like Grandma’s meat and potatoes will get some creative Americana love vegan-style this year, too.